Intense Bombing raids by Allied forces during the Second World War, non stop over a 3 month period, not only caused tragic devastation on the ground but also sent shockwaves up through the Earth’s atmosphere which were detected at the edge of space, according to new research. University of Reading researchers have revealed the shockwaves produced by huge bombs dropped by Allied planes on European cities were big enough to weaken the electrified upper atmosphere – the ionosphere – above the UK, 1,000km away.

Researchers at the University of Reading studied atmospheric response records during the time of 152 Allied bombing raids between 1943 and 1945, using data collected by the Radio Research Centre in Slough, UK. Their findings were published in Annales Geophysicae this week.

“The images of neighborhoods across Europe reduced to rubble due to wartime air raids are a lasting reminder of the destruction that can be caused by man-made explosions. But the impact of these bombs way up in the Earth’s atmosphere has never been realised until now,”said Chris Scott, Professor of Space and Atmospheric Physics.

The bombing raids sent shockwaves to the edge of space and actually managed to heat, and thus weaken, the electrified upper atmosphere (otherwise known as the ionosphere) roughly 1,000km (621 miles) above ground-level.

“Firestorm bombing” as they called it created winds in the middle of the city the Allies were bombing of up to 500km/h, designed to kill each and everyone in the city. They found bodies that were molten with their environment and there was no oxygen left.

In Hamburg alone, 12 thousand children got permanently blind in the first hours of the American-British bombing.

Hitler waited and only retaliated after 3 months of British bombing of German civilians. Hitler had sent many offers of peace to Britain, all were rejected. Hesse finally went to Britain with an offer of peace.

“It is astonishing to see how the ripples caused by man-made explosions can affect the edge of space,” Scott added. “Each raid released the energy of at least 300 lightning strikes. The sheer power involved has allowed us to quantify how events on the Earth’s surface can also affect the ionosphere.”

The ionosphere can affect technology in various ways but most notable impacts include shortwave radio, GPS systems, radar telescopes and radar detection systems. The study’s findings will help further humanity’s understanding of powerful natural forces such as lightning, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, and how exactly they impact the upper atmosphere.

“Aircrew involved in the raids reported having their aircraft damaged by the bomb shockwaves, despite being above the recommended height,” study co-author Professor Patrick Major, University of Reading historian said.

“The unprecedented power of these attacks has proved useful for scientists to gauge the impact such events can have hundreds of kilometers above the Earth, in addition to the devastation they caused on the ground.”

The researchers are looking to expand the data set and have asked for the public’s assistance in digitizing additional atmospheric records from the World War 2 era.

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